


among the rains hit hard on the earth, the sunshine comforts the pains

by OneZero



Category: Dreamcatcher (Korea Band)
Genre: 94line, F/F, Gahyeon cameo, Han Eunji Cameo, Only focus to both of them, i don't know what tags should i tag here, jibo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-01 11:08:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20814125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneZero/pseuds/OneZero
Summary: It's been a decade when Minji gave up on her dreams that she lost everything about them that includes Bora. And then they meet~





	among the rains hit hard on the earth, the sunshine comforts the pains

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this very slowly and took my time. Never wrote which not my native language this much. Please take a lot interest of this because i put all efforts in this work.

This morning is having a clear sky, Minji checked about the fine dust conditions, seems today is a nice time to running. It's been a while since the last time the sky of Seoul is this clear enough to work out outside. Not sort of workout inside the gym with all running machines they have. 

Minji drives to Han River Park, a nice place to run. People are busy commuting so early morning, but it's okay when she is self-employed and doesn't care about late to work. 

It's already 2 years since she resigned from the office work to continue to manage her Aunt’s bakery. She just takes care around the bakery without need to go there regularly while she already has a manager who helps her there. Manage the profits thing and check the quality of ingredients in the kitchen. Something like that. 

So far she had a nice life to become a kinda boss. Try to be the best boss for her employees. Somehow she managed about it even though at first she doubted herself. But now all are fine to her. She has the best life so far. 

She starts to warm up before running. Trying to breathe a clear air around Han River Park. 

And then she runs. 

Feeling her body through the morning breeze. She smiles to everyone who looks at her and makes eye contact at her. Have a small encouragement to other people who do the same thing like her on her track. 

She's having fun. 

It's already one hour and she's looking at around her. The scenery of the Han River is something else. While enjoying the scenery she's taking a break and breathe to feeling a nice air. 

She just needs to running back to the parking lot and have another nice break before going home. 

She continues her run but suddenly stops doing it after seeing such a scene. 

There is a person who sleeps at the side of the track. She looks around and just realized no one around here and notice this poor person here. She walks to her, from distance looks like a woman. After at a close distance she analyzes her. 

Looks familiar.

"Uh, wait." She surprised when recognized the person who not sure either sleeps, passes out or perhaps died. The last probably the extreme one because Minji still sees that the person has her breath. 

"Bora?" Said Minji, questioning to makes sure it was her and also waking her up at the same time. 

No response but Minji is sure that she clears smell the alcohol from her. 

Is she drunk and kinda pass out here and sleep? Thought Minji. 

At this freaking morning? When was she drinking though? 

"Bora? Wake up!" 

Still, no response even though she shakes her body. 

_ What should I do? _

No other option. Seems like Minji needs to bring her to her place. 

Minji doesn't know what happened to Bora to got at this poor state, but she knows it must be hard for her. She let her sigh and just remembered something that probably related to this event. 

She looks at Bora on her back, glad that she was kinda small even though she should be more weight than this. Because Minji can weight how light she is. 

It sure takes her back to their high school years. When Bora had sprained ankle and Minji piggyback her. It was a moment she knew that even Bora has a small body but quite heavy. 

Compare to now, she is light. 

At the parking lot, Minji let her lay down on back seat comfortably as she can. 

She drives back home with sometimes glance at the rearview mirror. Drive slowly. Worrying her friend that been a while she hasn't meet. 

Minji hopes her friend is fine. 

**...**

Bora wakes up in an unfamiliar place at all. The bed is comfort enough for her and it makes her too lazy to process everything. She tries to close her eyes again, thinking about what happened. 

She’s remembering that she was drinking at so late at night, bought every liquor she could at a convenience store. She tried to go back but seems like it never happens and now she’s here whoever place it is. For sure it isn’t a hospital, she opens her eyes again and looks at around her. 

_ Yeah, it is not a hospital _. 

There is a desk with a computer on it, dressing table, a single closet, and one big bed that she’s laying on it now. 

There is nothing that indicates the owner, no photos hanging on the wall or something like that in her laying view. She tries to lift her body and looks closely, but her head feels heavy and pain. 

‘How much alcohol I took?’ 

The room’s door open suddenly, Bora can’t look at the person come in from her condition. 

“Oh, you are awake. Let me bring water.” 

The person left, but somehow from the sound of her is so familiar to her. It reminds her of how soothing the sound of her. It’s been so long time she heard something like that. The people in the industry never sounds like that, not even someone in her group too. To know this fact, it makes her sure that she’s not in that kind of people place. 

The industry calls, an ordinary. 

She is somehow glad that is not someone in her group or someone in the industry who take her drunk to their place. 

The person comes again with a glass of water, the first Bora noticed it was how blonde her hair. But after seeing her in the close distance her eyes wider, a small smile on the person’s face it makes her throwback to years ago. 

“Minji?” Bora let the name out from her lips. 

“Hey, are you okay? Let me help you.” 

Minji helps Bora to sit and give a glass of water to her. Bora sips it a little, don’t think that she has enough energy to empty the glass in one gulp. 

“Better?” 

She just shakes her head weakly and tries to bear with the pain on it. 

“Sorry, I don’t have any painkillers at the moment.” 

Listen! Bora never heard that kind of worry tone in a while and somehow it kinda soothes her heart a little bit. It hit her so hard that she can’t hold her teary eyes. It’s been a while, she even forgets since when it is. 

“Hey, are you okay?” Minji questions it, she confused to see the tears on her friend. 

“Don’t! Not with that tone!” 

Minji back off for a little, startled at her friend raised her voice. So she just stands there in silence. Minji didn’t ask anything after that, instead of asking, she just sits beside Bora on the bed. The last thing she did was gave her handkerchief to Bora. 

“Sorry.” 

Minji doesn’t reply at all. She just smiles like what Bora always remember. Another time travel to their high school years. It was around the first year, they were at the same class and one morning Minji came to her with her smile. She just talked about she watched one of Bora’s performance at some gig. She coincidence passed by there and unconsciously watched till the end. 

And that was the time they were sharing their dreams. 

“It’s been a while,” Minji let her minds out. “Seven… uh, eight years? No, it’s ten years. A decade.” 

“Un-Hmm.”

It just sniffles that fill in the room, Minji tries not to push hard at her after a barely reply from Bora. 

“Since when you are in Seoul?” asked Bora while wiped her tears away. 

“Three-four years I guess. Yeah, around that.” 

“How is that I end up here?” 

“I was running at Han River Park and you were there, sleeping on the grass. Fortunately that area there isn’t any people around. To make sure you are okay and safe, I just brought you here.”

Bora looks at Minji carefully, trying to find something that she doesn’t know what it is. It has just been a while to see her friend and it’s not the best time either with this kind of situation. With this kind of messy situation. With her life situation right now. 

For starter, Minji gives that soothe she was always giving years ago on their high school years. Bora kinda depended on her back then. They always spend time together, at school, at the gym, at her dance academy, at her home. They shared songs that they listened, films that they watched, albums that they bought together. 

It was fun.

“Decade ago, I was really mad at you. You just gave up on your dream. Now to think about it, I don’t want you went at the same path as me. This path…… I don’t know what can I describe it……” 

“Are you regretting it?” asked Minji gently. She knows this is kinda deep and hurt at her situation right now. 

“No… Yes… I don’t know,” replied Bora trying to not having another breakdown. 

“I’m sorry.” 

Bora startled, looks at Minji immediately. Now that smile she knew gone from her face. It’s not like Minji she knew. Even the last time she said goodbye at her, the smile was there even though it’s just a little smile. And that time she was mad at her too, Minji still smiled at her. 

“I always check on you, your career. I have all your albums, watched all your performances, watched every shows that had you on it. I always think that you had a life that you dream there.” 

“Now you said that in front of me, with all happened recently on you, I don’t know it was that hard for you,” Minji said it slowly, pace her breath to not make her cry. 

It failed. 

The tears fall on her cheeks. 

“I should be there with you, but I gave up on it. I’m sorry, Bora. I’m sorry…… sorry……” Minji covers her face and cries that hard. She doesn’t remember the last time she was crying like that. 

It all was the emotion and situation makes her crying that hard. 

Bora doesn’t know what to do, the worst thing that she never sees Minji cried. She doesn’t know how to handle that. It is her first time. 

At first, she just offers her hand wraps her shoulder, make her body slightly turn and hugs her. 

But the frequency on the cries that fill in the room makes Bora felt her eyes wet again. Her chest hurts to listened to Minji’s cry and said sorry at her repeatedly. The headache she had gone, Bora just dived her face down on Minji’s shoulder and cry with her. 

It was heavy. 

It was intense. 

It was painful. 

**...**

After the whole crying session they had, Minji suggested Bora eat something. So they are on the dining table, eat whatever Minji had on the kitchen. Glad she still has rice left on the cooker. 

Minji looks at Bora who eat so intense. 

“You are still big eater as I know,” said Minji and smiled at Bora. Glad the sadness they made minutes ago slowly gone on them. 

“No-no, perhaps it’s because it’s been a while I eat freely. Diet is a real deal thing happened in that industry.” 

“I aware of that. You look smaller and tinier than before.” 

Bora lifted her head and looks at Minji intently.

“You are serious when you said you always check on me.” 

“It’s the only thing I can do, from far away I still saw you on television, social media, internet news, on your albums.”

It’s true. Minji always waited for everything Bora related news. She followed up everything from the very beginning debut until recently news about her. Watched every music shows performance at Naver, left comments on them, bought the albums, streaming from the music sites, attended to the concerts and the festivals. Everything that could support her and the group. 

The only thing she couldn’t do was meeting Bora. There are some occasions that she could go to their fan sign. She didn’t go, the last time she tried to reach her it didn’t well and it was a long time ago before the debut. Bora mad at her or even hate her. That was hurt Minji, but she tried to understand her. 

So that’s the only ways she could do.

“Minji, are you happy?” 

Minji moves her eyebrows close together, intently looks at Bora expression, thinking confusedly about the question. More importantly, Bora called her name. 

“Are you happy that your dream is not coming true?” 

Minji still looks at Bora. 

“Hmm… I’m not sure at all if the context is about my dream.” Minji tried to look back at her high school years. The experience to practice every day with Bora kinda wasted now. “How about you? Are you happy to perform on stage?” 

Bora puts down the chopsticks and spoon, preparing if she has another breakdown again. 

“At first, yeah. Latest stages, no.” 

Minji nods at that reply, she doesn’t want to press another question after that. It must be hard for Bora at her latest stages, latest albums, her latest stage.

“If you still need the answer you seek, well I’m happy with my life now.” Bora looks at Minji now. “Somehow life is complicated, but sometimes is quite simple.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Take a breath, take your time, think with your clear minds. You will get the answer to what you seek it.” 

Bora doesn’t know how to respond that but somehow that statement soothes her minds. She looks at her rice bowl on the table, thinking about everything. Her career is practically done. Her dream… she’s not sure about it with what happened, her life… she’s confused by herself. 

“Bora!” 

Bora looks at the person who called it. 

“Don’t overthink about it. Talk it with your family, your friends.” 

“I don’t think so with my family,” said Bora quietly but still reach Minji’s hearing. 

“Then with your friends.” 

“After what happened, seems like I don’t have a friend, I don’t trust them.”

Minji’s hand try to reach Bora’s, touch gently. “You know what, you have one in front of you, in front of your eyes.” 

Every time Minji said something with that soothe tone, it makes Bora bad of her. She doesn’t deserve Minji at all. She’s unbelievable. Now she’s just silent with that stare of her at Minji. Her vision is blurry again before it falls, she covers her eyes quickly and Minji’s touch gone on her hand. 

“You’re unbelievable, Minji. Unbelievable,” said Bora in between her sniffles. 

Minji just let her, she is hurt to see her friend in this kind of state. She promises by herself, she will do everything for her, everything. To make her better, to make her smile again. After she’s awake to this situation, Bora never smiles. 

One thing for sure after it was a long time ago, it’s still the same. 

The promises. 

It’s still around Bora. 

**...**

Bora is not really remembered how she ends up at the bakery’s kitchen who run by Minji’s family. It started with a phone call that Minji picked up, something happened at the kitchen. She offered Bora if she wanted to stay or came along with her. 

So that’s it. 

But Bora doesn’t know what to do in this kitchen that have several people with white clothing. 

She just looks at Minji who checked about the big oven that seems like can’t operate like usual. Several seconds later there is repairman comes, talking at Minji and inspect the oven. 

“Hey, You are SuA, right? Kim Bora?” 

Someone diverts her concentrate at Minji, Bora finds someone beside her already. 

“I am.” 

“I thought that Minji Unnie was lying about she knows you personally and came from same alma mater.”

“She talked about me?” 

“She’s the biggest fangirl of you that I know so far and I’m the only one who deals with it cause I’m a fan of you too.” 

Fangirl. Fans. Now it sounds so foreign for Bora. It’s been two or three months now, she avoided with her best, generally people. Beside her now it’s one of her fans, she doesn’t know what to do. 

“I’m aware that perhaps you are afraid of me but let me tell you, I don’t care what people talk about you and she doesn’t too.” 

Bora looks at Minji. 

“How do you know that?” 

“For the start, she never touches her social media again after you know what it is. Barely touch the Internet in general. She’s genuine worrying you in such her delicate ways.”

“It’s more like torture, who in this era barely survive without the internet?” 

That was such a contradictory statement from Bora. She did the same and she’s fine with it, more likely she breathed. Those comments on the internet about her made her suffocating. The stories and rumors they made up, the damn netizens said, the whole news about her for their traffics. 

Glad she did it. 

Even though still can’t avoid those eyes on her, the murmurs at her, the shouts on her whenever she went. That explained why she barely went when the sun shines and tried to went on night till dawn. But still not in regularly thing, she just locked herself on whatever the place called. 

That is another problem. The place. 

She barely got a place, Bora always lived at the dorm that the agency provided with some members. And at some point it just she with her bank account that she relies on. The more problem when it talked about money. Apparently, she never got the money that she should get. 

Bora is careless that not think clearly when renting a place she got now in the damn Seoul city which should be expensive. When her situation at the moment, she didn’t think about the money thing. She just wanted a place. It took half of her account for these two months. She even doesn’t remember why she agreed to pay monthly. Yesterday she tried to look for a place but end up bad and got drunk. 

“By the way, my name is Gahyeon, Lee Gahyeon.”

“Hmm, seems like I heard it before. Are you perhaps went to one of the fan signs? Wait…..” Bora somehow remembered her. “You’re the one who gives the custom sneakers at fan sign, right?” 

“Ooh, you remembered it. You can say that.” 

“What do you mean?” 

"Well, it wasn't from me. How do you expect a student to buy sneakers for her idol? I barely bought the albums for fansign even though I got some from Minji Unnie….." Gahyeon stops her rambling and realized that she put too many information. She barely looks at Bora’s eyes and. "So yeah, fortunately, I could go to fansign." Randomly end the explanation. 

By that Bora has another throwback again, this time is around they were practice dance together. Minji was a fast learner, she could do what Bora instructed. The practice turned out to be her favorite time because she spent so much with Bora. 

One time they were taking a break in the corner of the room. Minji saw Bora’s sneakers that quite awful not so good to wear it. 

“Don’t you think you need to change your sneakers?” asked Minji still looked at on it. 

“Should I?” Bora was waving her feet. “What should I get?” 

“Hmm. I don’t know, I don’t understand with sneakers.”

“Yours is cool though it is just plain white. Should I get the same as yours?” Bora lifted her body to lean more to the sneakers. 

“I got an idea. You should get the same as mine and we custom them.” 

“Custom?” 

“Yeah, like we paint on them whatever we like. Can be letters or drawing something,” explained Minji enthusiastic. 

“Sounds like a plan. I’m in.” 

By that Bora saw the brightest Minji’s smile ever. It just about sneakers and they did not understand them. They ended up painting their sneakers. Somehow it turned so not bad as what they expected. 

Bora still has both of them. The one that they painted it and the one that Minji gave her through Gahyeon. Bora looks at Minji who caught her after talked with the worker. She smiles at her. 

“Hey, what are you two doing?” Minji asks when she’s near the other two. 

“We talked Unnie.” 

“Sorry if this kid bothers you.” 

“No, no. Not at all. She tried her best to not talk too much. You got the smart employee there,” Bora says it and winks at Gahyeon. At the other side Gahyeon just awkward giggles as she hides her nervous towards her boss. 

After that, they just talked about bread making as Gahyeon should work and Bora got interested to see the younger works. Bora even got to try to mix the ingredients and making the dough. They try to give her talks about to shape the bread as she likes, and Bora did it and they got surprised by her skill. 

Minji should know her better, the hand works of Bora is good. She has that gold hand as like she can turn the trash into pure gold. 

They ate their bread. Talked about random things happened at the bakery. Minji thought it was a good idea to brought Bora along to her workplace. Bora gets along with Gahyeon that reminds her that Gahyeon also takes apart to makes Bora smile without anything she worried at. 

At time goes fast, Gahyeon should back to finish her work and prepare to go back home. 

“Where do you live? I can drive you home.”

“Ug, about that . . . . .” Bora talked about the situation about her place, she explained it to Minji with her head looks at down. Holding her frustration. “So I don’t think they will let me stay there as I can’t pay the rent. They probably already throw my things that I already packed out from the place.” 

“So you don’t have a place?” 

Bora just nodded, still can’t look at Minji. 

“Let’s bring your things there, you can stay at my place.” 

Now Bora is lifting her head. “No-no, I told you this not because I ask for a place. I can stay at jjimjilbang for days until I get a new place.” 

“But it’s not secure enough for you and how about your money? Can you get a new place with the money you have now?” 

Bora's face just sank after that. She was right. Bora can’t survive. She doesn’t know her situation become more-more difficult for her. 

“Do I have another option?” 

“No, you don’t. You stay at my place, that’s it.” 

Bora just nods at Minji. She becomes so small, it reminds her that she has nothing left with those years spent performing on stage. Is that the goal when she dreams of it? She never thought this kinda situation, even though she knew the all bad scenarios, but this one is never in her calculations. 

After that, Minji drives Bora to her current place and bring out her things. Now she’s going back to Minji’s place. The atmosphere around them kinda heavy but warm enough. Minji glances several times at Bora from behind the steering wheels. Bora is closing her eyes so that Minji thinks she is sleeping. 

“Why do you give up?” 

Minji glances again at Bora, she still closes her eyes. Sleep talking? So Minji just focuses again on her wheels. 

After doesn’t get the answer, Bora opens her eyes and ask again. 

“Why do you give up? I still don’t get the answer after all the years happened. You never answer it years ago too.” 

Minji glances again and caught Bora stares at her but then she focuses on the road again and confused how to answer the question. 

“I don’t know if it’s a hard decision or not,” Minji still focuses on the road but reply at the question. “Back then I was not sure to answer that.” 

“Do you know there was an agency scouted you and visited the school?” Minji questions, she doesn’t glance at Bora because she knows the answer. Bora at the other seat is thinking confusedly. She never heard that before. 

“Somehow I knew it and overheard the conversation between the man and our teacher. Our teacher talked about you and she talked about me as she proud our school have talented girls.” 

“But the agency just want you, only you. With all his reasons he said to our teacher. And like you know Miss Jung never give up on me as a pair with you. And the conclusion the agency didn’t give any contact to Miss Jung and you.” 

They stop because of the red light. Minji still looks straight at the traffic lights. Bora wides her eyes after realization of what happened. She doesn’t want to believe it but seems Minji went with those feelings and she didn’t realize it. 

“You get the glimpse there right? Before that, people always compared us, which one who more good at dancing? And people love your dance more. I was on limbo and questioning myself. That perhaps I got in the way of your dream so I just gave up and you got your dream. Seems like it was working immediately like it had to be that way.” 

Minji continues to drive after the light turned green. She wonders herself why she can answer it lightly now as she doesn’t care what she’s afraid to lost something. Because She did lose everything back then and that includes Bora. 

“I never know what you got through those feelings.” Bora cries again, it is sure shocked her in a way she never thought before. “It made me that I was a bad friend that didn’t know them.” 

“Hey, you are not. You’re a good friend, Bora.” 

“But…” Bora sniffled, wipes down the tears. 

“Okay, how about this? This should make you feel better,” Minji tries to gather her courage again before another explanation. 

“I never give up entirely, my dream.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“See you perform on the stage, on the bigger stage, that is always my dream. I was there on your debut stage, at your first concert. That was one of my dreams and I could see that.” 

Bora stops the sniffles. 

“Better?” Minji pats Bora’s head while she’s focusing on the road. 

Bora doesn’t know if it’s making her better or not. But the warm touch on her head sure made her better that somehow it made her sleep on the rest of the travel. 

**...**

The knocks make Minji rush to the door room and open it to find Bora. 

“Hey, everything okay?” Minji asks worriedly. 

“Ah, uh, hmm. Can I sleep with you?”

Minji blinks as she didn’t hear it correctly, but she realizes perhaps Bora can’t sleep with an unfamiliar environment. She should know this but Minji didn’t think about it and just bring Bora to another room. 

“Sure but I need to finish the book of today sales for minutes.” 

“It’s okay, I just don’t want to be alone.” 

That was hit Minji so hard. Two months Bora was alone with her survive skill and after that, she doesn’t want to be alone. 

Bora comes in at Minji's room. The one that she woke up there earlier. She sits on the bed and looks around intently. She sees the bookshelves that she didn’t get the chance to see what’s on there. She walks slowly to the shelves and sees many books and the albums Minji bought. 

Minji just glances a second and focus again on her work. 

“Do you need to buy the album this much?” Bora sees many same album copies.

“To get one set of your photocards, etc. Yeah.” 

“The rest of them?” 

“I give them all for Gahyeon.” 

“She’s damn lucky.” 

“She is. She’s a nice person. I have the urge to adopt her as my little sister.” 

“You are getting along with her.” 

“You too.” 

“It was my first time feeling like I’m just an ordinary person, no one who judges me, eyes on me, ridicule sayings on me.”

Minji stops her work as she finishes it. She looks at Bora who feeling a little emotion of what she is feeling right now. She approaches her slowly and hugs her. This time there isn’t any tear as today Bora already streamed them out too much. But the comfort she needs is the one she seeks and Minji gives them. 

“Should we get on the bed and sleep?” Minji asks quietly, Bora just nods on Minji’s shoulder. 

They are getting on the bed, laying down. 

The throwback happens again. 

It was one night that Bora was so tired to went back to her own home. So she decided to sleep at Minji’s since it’s so close to their dance academy. The time was also perfect that it was a Friday. She didn’t worry about school the next day. 

The short story, they didn’t sleep that night. They watched every movie they find on Minji’s mother DVD collection. It was oddly fine like Bora never got tired around Minji. It was one of their nights that she could remember at the moment. 

There are more. That perhaps only Minji can treasure them. 

“Minji,” called Bora. 

Minji just humming to respond it. Still looking at the ceiling. 

“Do you believe it?” 

“Huh? Believe what?” 

Minji can hear Bora is inhaling the air heavily. 

“Believe what people said about me?” Bora exhales them after. 

Minji turns her body to see Bora at her right. Trying to look for the pains on her for these past months so she just takes them to transfer them to her. To ease her minds. To see her smile more. To see her confident gaze back. 

“That’s hard.”

This time Bora who turns her body, to her left. See Minji with confused looks. 

“I don’t want to believe them but you know I don’t know anything about you behind those stages, how is hard that life, how is cruel the industry.” 

“Fair enough.”

“It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me everything. Because no matter what, I still trust you. I’m still your number one fan. I’m still your friend.” 

Minji put her hand on Bora's cheek, brush the tears that already there away. _ How many times you cry, Bora? _

Bora leans closer to Minji’s embrace, try to stop the tears. The warmth of Minji’s relax her more and makes her eyes heavy. That night she slept in Minji’s embrace and it was the nice sleep she ever had for these past months. 

**...**

Minji wakes up when she sensed Bora at her right side sleep in distress. Her sweats on her forehead, her head constantly shaking to right and left. At the sight, Minji feels the pain, it hurts her. 

She pulls herself to closer at Bora, she wipes the sweats and pats her head slowly. 

“It’s fine, I’m here,” Minji said that several times at Bora to calm her down. 

Bora, her body responds at what Minji did, she leans closer to Minji’s and hugs her unconsciously. 

Minji rubs Bora’s back in a circle slowly while thinking. 

How many nightmares Bora had every night? 

What is on her nightmare? 

And she was lonely by these past months. It makes her sad to know those facts. How can Minji do to make it different? How can Minji do to let her pains go away from her? How can Minji do to make her friend happy again? 

By those thoughts, Minji hugs her friend tightly but still in a comfortable way. She makes a promise again. 

No matter what. She should be there beside her to support everything she needs. No runaway or give up as she did last time. 

Let’s stay together. Like this. 

“I’m here.” 

Bora breathes calmly now. 

She doesn’t know why but she slips those words, slowly, whispery, careful not heard by the sleeping one. 

_ I love you _

**...**

It’s already several days and seems like Bora turns slowly better. She never gets a nightmare in three days. Minji took care of her with everything. She offered Bora to work at the bakery’s kitchen. Bora took it and slowly get used to shaping the doughs like what she wants. Minji said that they can sell every bread that shape beautifully. 

Minji looks everything seems fine. 

But not as she exits her store and finds those blitz from cameras and the hands with the voice recorders or their smartphones. 

“Is Sua working here?” 

“What’s your relationship with her?” 

“Is she fine?” 

That one is ridiculous. It’s all because of them said on media and press and they ask her if is she fine or not? 

The more important thing why they know Bora is here or with her? 

“Are you dating her?” 

Minji stops her walk and looks for the one who asks the question. She can know exactly who because her guts telling her. 

“Why all of you care about what happened to her after those fucking mess all you made on your coverages?!” Minji said it loud to all of the people in front of them. 

“Is she fine? THE HECK YOU QUESTION THAT DUMB QUESTION?!!” 

“Listen! You all never touch her again! Go ahead if you want this became your traffic. Go ahead attack me. But if you touch her or attack her, I have my ways to sue all of you! She’s not in the industry anymore because the industry threw her like trash. You all lose a great talent there.” 

After that long anger that she threw at them, she walks to her car in a rush. Never look back whoever she pushes away. She drives away from the crowd and stops at the side road after far away from the store. She dials the numbers. 

“You know the drills right?” asked Minji after the person pick up her phone call. 

“Yes, Unnie, I’m doing it right now.” 

“Take care there and her. Call me if there isn’t a crowd in front of our store. I’ll be there.” 

“Roger.” 

Minji throws away her phone at the passenger seat after called Gahyeon. She let her sigh heavily, try to calm her anger. She let her chin rest on the steering wheel. Another sighs released. 

She thought they will be fine. Like no one will find out Bora in her place and working at the bakery. Even though she knew that this will happen someday, but it’s too soon, like while Bora still hasn’t that very well with the situation she got. She knew Bora is getting better but with this timing, it can affect her. 

The thing that Minji ordered to Gahyeon was close the store so there isn’t any customer who will come there with curiosity after the news or articles out there release. Not even an hour, Minji get texts from her friends with the link and screenshot of the news. She throws the phone again at the passenger seat. 

Now she’s driving to her home. Hope no one will give her address to the media. It will be worst and if it happens she will sue whoever give her privacy. 

Her aunt visits her after she went back home. Minji already talked about Bora who worked at her bakery before by phone. 

“It’s okay. You did by what you think is right. Even got a plan if the situation happens. How is she now?” 

“I hope she’s fine. Gahyeon said she kinda looks down.” 

“Perhaps I will go to the store and handle the others while you take care of her.” 

“It’s fine, I can handle it. But I don’t know if the store will open soon enough,” said Minji kinda frustrated. 

“Hey, hey. It’s fine. Just take this as a holiday.”

Minji just can’t speak anything, her minds are thinking Bora right now. She’s worried about her friend. Hoping this is not affecting her that much. 

The phone rings, from Gahyeon. 

The situation outside the store is getting normal. The employees still at the store, Minji ordered it. So after she’s there, she will talk something to them. 

Before going, her aunt said something. “Don’t take your anger to the employees!” Minji just nods and go to the store. 

Arrives at the store, Minji welcomed by Gahyeon. 

“Where is she?” 

“At the staff room, the others in the kitchen.” 

Minji gets through the kitchen and goes to the staff room immediately. She finds Bora at the corner of the room sits. Her eyes wander somewhere before making contact with Minji. At that point Minji knows it affects her, she walks closer to her and hugs her comfortably. Rubs her back slowly as the sniffs heard at Minji’s ear. Minji said it continuously, tell her that it’s fine. 

After that, she walks out to the kitchen where the employees already there waiting after saw her boss came. Minji at the heavy eyes on her face really can’t think clearly. She remembers what her aunt said. But somehow it muddled by how she heard Bora said sorry to her minutes ago. For whatever she felt sorry for. 

“Just tell me, in front of everyone here! I got a hunch and it corrects. I can say that after seeing one of all your faces.”

The employees see each other, some of them confused, some of them know what’s going on. And there is one who looks so nervous. Before Bora worked at the kitchen, Minji already warned to her employees that no one will talk about her outside the bakery, give the information to anyone even their family or someone they trust. Minji knew her employees are all good persons and smart enough, after all she's the one who hired all the employees before she worked as their boss now. She helped her aunt with human resource department things before her aunt open the bakery. She's the one who interviewed all people in front of her now.

“Should I say the name or give in?” 

“I-I think it was my mistake,” said someone in the very straight front of Minji. 

Han Eunji. 

“Explain!” 

“I may be accidentally told my friends while got tipsy and i awared enough of that. Perhaps it began from there. I-I’m so sorry.” 

Minji wants to angry and perhaps fire her. But her aunt said buzzing her mind. At least someone honest enough, Minji doesn’t know if that this very time no one confesses and find out later that someone from her employees. 

“What it happens, happened. I just afraid to inform all of you that we have a holiday until the heats calm down and I don’t know when. I already talked to the owner about this, she agreed. Don’t have much fun and watch your mouth.” 

The employees don’t know how to react to this. At one thing they have a break from the job, the one thing they worry about their days off, the other one that they never see her boss so frustrated. So they just silent until Eunji says another sorry to Minji again and again. Felt so guilt. 

Minji with her all effort reassure Eunji that it’s fine with a small smile. 

“Perhaps that you need to tell her that it’s all your fault. She’s having a hard time blaming herself of her situation,” Minji says at Eunji who just respond nods, understand. 

Eunji met Bora, told that her fault at the staff room after all employees dismissed and walked out the store one by one. Minji saw all that happened at near the door, Eunji was crying, Bora was hugging her, said it’s okay, it’s fine, it’s not your fault. Anything to stop those Eunji’s tears, because no matter what she’s having tears in her eyes that she held them back. 

Minji was taught it’s her bad to take Eunji to this mess instead to assure her that’s everything fine. Not that she made her more guilty and made her cry in front of Bora or called her out in front of everyone. She’s really bad, really not necessary at all. 

After that Eunji excused herself to join the others went out of the store. Minji nodded and hugged her. 

“I’m sorry if this makes you feel more bad or guilty. I’m really bad, okay. I want you to know that I do not hate you or blame you. It just that she needs to stop blaming herself.” 

“I understand, Unnie. I heard from Gahyeon that you care about her. I must be more careful next time. I’m more concerned about the business part that we need to take days off. I’m so sorry.” 

“Now I feel bad I’m not concerning that part at all because the owner is already that rich,” says Minji, slightly smile, slightly lie. “Just as I said, take it as a holiday just don’t put much fun on it.” 

Eunji nodded and walked out of the store. 

At the other side, Minji just let her heavy sigh. Now the store is a quiet place. On her minds, she always thinking about ‘everything is fine’, repeatedly. She’s hoping. She will do everything to protect Bora. At any cost. 

**...**

That night, Bora had another bad dream. Yeah, Minji let Bora sleep with her again, at this rate, she just let Bora sleep in her bed. So Bora didn’t need to knock her door every night. 

Now Minji desperate to brighten up the whole mood. 

Bora just really like a zombie and muttered the sorry repeatedly to her. 

“Hey, how about we go somewhere?” Minji asks while look at Bora who eat her breakfast, she woke up so late. 

“I don’t want to and it will gonna be a problem outside.” 

Fair enough. The heat still there, talking about Minji mostly. She inevitably does it, checking the portal news site, the search engine real-time ranking, etc. All the headline talking about her defending Bora. Speculate about their relationship that exposed already, people fast to a background check everything. Their school name mentioned everywhere, Minji's graduated photo on those sites with Bora. 

More the unbelievable again that they found out about me did countless auditions with Bora and they made the narrative about it. 

It’s sick. 

And Minji hit the realization on it. 

So this is how Bora felt? This is how Bora felt when got attention? This is how felt when she’s in the industry? 

Minji got a little taste of it and it’s not good on her taste. 

Made her so anxious that everyone talked about you and did something she couldn’t imagine it like searching the old photos and those bad narratives. 

How Bora survived by all these? 

“I kinda worry about you.”

“Huh?”

Minji looks at Bora after the whole thinking in her minds. Don’t get it about what Bora said. 

“You know I don’t talk about it since the incident and now people talk about you too. I’m sorry.”

How many sorry that she said already? 

“I kinda admit that I don’t like the attention like this but it’s all good, like no affected to me. Now I worry about you.” 

“I don’t know to be honest. Sure I don’t like it either but to know that someone stands up for me, defend for me, no one does that, and you are the first. Perhaps not bad as these past months.” 

Minji smiles that what she did make a little easy to Bora. 

“Plus I don’t know that you can scream and mad like that.” 

Minji let her laughs, “Yeah, kinda get carried away with the emotion I hold.” 

Then silence happens between them in the living room, with whatever tv show is running with low sound. Keep their minds wander to whatever that feel not as shitty as those articles. And then Bora’s head rests on her shoulder, Minji glances a bit and rest hers on Bora’s. 

It’s nice and peaceful. 

For both of them. 

Reminds Minji why she gave up on her that everything should be this nice. 

“Should I give up? I never make a statement of me to retire in the entertainment industry. Perhaps if I make a statement, no one will come at me and even you.”

“And what’s your decision?” 

“I haven’t decided it.” 

“So you still want to step into your career again?” 

“Perhaps. I have a little hope of it, isn’t it pathetic?”

“No, not at all. But back to the question, if you worry that they come at me, don’t do it. Then if they come at you and you feel bothered by them, whatever you decide it.” explain Minji with her lip corners up a little. Assure Bora that’s everything about Minji is fine, that Bora needs to care about herself, think more about herself.

“You might leave me again like last time,” Bora states in a low voice as she doesn’t want to be heard. But Minji heard it. 

Seems like what Minji did affect her that much, Minji felt bad already and with this situation is making worst on her. 

“I won’t.” 

“No one can guarantee that.”

“Then tell me how to get your trust and believe in my words.” 

“I always believe in your words, always trust you, you just go like that knowing nothing.” 

That’s hitting Minji so really hard. 

“I’m sorry.” 

That’s the only thing she could say. 

“Nah, it’s my fault to bring it up back to this.” 

“I know what I did it’s that bad and affected you, but please for this time, I promise, I won’t leave you again.”

Bora just nods at Minji’s promise, she walks close to hug her. Find the comforts she needs. She always finds it on Minji, from the high school days and these recent days. She is glad to meet Minji at the right time. She owes her so much. 

**... **

_ Hello everyone, I’m SuA. _

_ I open back this account to tell you something about the recent incident. If you are asking me Am I fine? I’m not sure about it but thank you for your concern. I know there are still my fans out there who wonder about it. I can tell you that I will get better because there is still someone who cares about me. _

_ Talk about fans, this is the unfortunate news that I want to tell. I decided to retire from the stage and won’t be going to perform or sing. I take off the name of SuA on me. I hope you will understand my decision. Thank you for years to always be there for me and I’m sorry if some of you disappointed on me from those years to this decision. _

_ By this announcement, I hope media, press, news, get the answer you want. By this declare, I beg that tone down what you coverage on me because now I’m just an ordinary person who will start a new chapter of her life. I hope you understand about my privacy which won’t be the consume of the public anymore. Thank you for taking care of me for these years on stages. _

_ There isn’t SuA you used to know after this declare. Thank you for everyone who is there on my journey. Hope you enjoy the day. Farewell~ _

**... **

That day all portal sites real-time trends chart full of SuA and Farewell Letter. Like it’s big news and consider it still fresh from the recent incident. The heats are still there. Perhaps will be the last time attention from the public, the last one information to consume by them. Bora hopes it is for the best to herself and people around her too. 

Her account still there, open. She saw a lot of comments on it, it is mixed between the one who disappointed or hate on her and the one who probably support her till the end of her career. Still, it’s for the best. 

SuA, she took off the stage name was given from the agency. Somehow she felt light after took off the pressure she carried on that stage name. 

Now she is just Kim Bora. An ordinary person. 

“So what’s a new chapter you will write?” Minji asks she’s making breakfast for both of them. 

Minji didn’t know about the farewell letter at all. Bora never talks about how to she decided to retire. She posted the letter while Minji was sleeping. When she read the letter on my account in the morning, she woke her up and hugged Bora. Give her comforts and supports like she always did. Sure Minji must be sad that now she retired, she acclaimed herself to be SuA’s number one fan though. But She knew whatever Bora decided, Minji still there, beside her.

“I don’t know, for now, I just want to enjoy my retirement days.”

“Have any interest in it? Or just want baking on my aunt’s bakery?” 

“For now baking is not a bad option,” Bora replies, she brings any dishes already ready to the table. “And I still can be with you if I work with you.” 

“Hey! I will always with you, I promised it, remember? I won’t leave you like last time. You even can stay here forever you know.” 

Bora just smiles on that. 

“If you bold enough like this years ago, I wonder what will happen?” 

“What?” 

“Huh? Nothing.” 

They both know but decide the time will let them to the point of it. Or perhaps time doesn’t need to work on them either. Just let them with their world that they both lost on it for several years. 

Because now it’s different. 

_ **~fin~ ** _

_ **10** _

**Author's Note:**

> STREAM DEJA VU!!!


End file.
